Theresa May and government whips were allegedly aware
of allegations made against Conservative MPs.

Four Labour MPs are also accused and the party fears
more will emerge.

LONDON — Theresa May is under pressure to explain
exactly when she knew about the scale of the growing sexual
harassment scandal in Parliament after dozens
of Tory MPs were engulfed in allegations of
unwanted sexual advances and behaving inappropriately towards
members of staff.

A group of Westminster researchers have put together a list of
nearly 40 Conservative MPs, including several members of May's
Cabinet, who have had allegations made against them over the last
five years, according to The
Times.

The prime minister has been aware of the allegations, The Times
claims, because government whips have been giving her weekly
briefings on accusations made against her MPs by Westminster
employees. May's spokesperson will this morning face questions
from journalists about exactly what the prime minister
knew and when.

The scandal is expected to spread over the coming days with
at least four Labour MPs also accused of harassing young
women who work in Westminster, including two who have at some
point served in leader Jeremy Corbyn's shadow Cabinet.

May has written to the House of Commons Speaker, John Bercow,
urging him to establish a mediation service for Westminster staff
wanting to report the inappropriate behaviour of MPs,
the Guardian
reports.

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority has recommended
that a grievance procedure is incorporated in contracts of
Westminster employees, providing them with a means of raising
concerns and complaints.

However, MPs are technically self-employed, meaning they are not
legally obliged to provide this outlet to their employees.

"It does not have the required teeth as contractually an MP does
not have to follow the procedure. I do not believe this situation
can be tolerated any longer," the prime minister said in a letter
to Bercow.

What are MPs accused of?

The dossier, seen by The Times, includes a long list of
allegations against 37 serving male and female MPs, including
sexual harassment and extramarital affairs. Those named in the
list include:

A long-serving Conservative backbencher accused of being
"perpetually intoxicated and very inappropriate with
women."

A Tory MP who is alleged to have agreed a "non-disclosure"
settlement with another MP's researcher.

A current Cabinet minister who is accused of being "handsy at
parties" and another minister who has allegedly been nicknamed
"Cop-a-feel."

Other allegations include two MPs accused of getting their
mistresses pregnant and two Tory MPs accused of using
prostitutes. A well-known female MP is alleged to have had
affairs with young male researchers. There is also a video in
circulation of a Conservative backbencher engaged in an "extreme
sex act" with three men, the dossier alleges.

The Guardian reports that rumours are spreading of one
Conservative MP who "allegedly takes pictures of young men
in compromising positions and uses them to extract sexual
favours."

The allegations include mainly Conservative politicians but
Labour MPs believe more will emerge within their party.

"We’re not going to be immune from it," Labour MP Lucy Powell
said. "It’s the attitudes and the power inequalities, whether
it’s Hollywood, the BBC or Westminster."

Westminster figures believe the allegations, plus more that may
emerge in the coming days and weeks, could trigger several
high-profile resignations and possibly bring the government
down.

What MPs have been named?

Two Conservative MPs named in the dossier have already admitted
to allegations made against them.

Trade minister Mark Garnier is facing a parliamentary
investigation after admitting to asking one his assistants to
purchase sex toys for him.

Stephen Crabb, the former work and pensions secretary, apologised
over the weekend after admitting sending inappropriate text
messages to a 19-year-old woman who had hoped to work in his
office. Crabb described the messages as "sexual chatter." Crabb
was forced to quit his Cabinet position last year after it
emerged that he sent explicit messages to a young woman during
the EU referendum campaign.